World Wanderer
by Sailor Crystal
Summary: Takes place a few years before FOTR and eventually leads into the movie before turning away from it. A lone elfling wanders the world but who is she and why is she alone? Prequel to upcoming stories.


Aeris: All right. This is a new story I've been working on for a long time. And it's a lead in to our others coming up, like a prelude.

Disclaimer: NOTHING in the Lord of the Rings universe belongs to me. It belongs, the books anyway, to J. R.R. Tolkien, while the movies belong to Peter Jackson and New Line Cinema.

A/N: This is VERY big AU. The world of Middle-Earth has been made smaller and a lot of places dun have names though I am a big fan of LOTR. Flames are welcomed since I know this isn't the best story.

World Wanderer

"Shhh….shhh…It will be alright." A woman's voice says as she tries to calm her baby down.

The baby's shrill cries echo through the forest and the woman looks around worriedly before turning to look at her child.

"Shh…I'll find you some food. It will be alright."

The baby slowly calms down; reassured her mother will help her and gazes up at her with beautiful green eyes.

"That's it. I promise you. I will keep you safe. Until we find your father."

The baby coos and the woman smiles before she walks further into the forest. A few hours pass and the woman is sitting under a tree, holding a berry to her baby's mouth and letting her suck on the berry, getting all the juice out.

"I'm sorry I can't provide you with better, Rose. But being on the run is hard."

The baby coos loudly and giggles. The woman smiles and eats the berry, now deprived of all it's juice and gently holds another to her child, repeating the process.

"Where should we go from here?" The woman asks her daughter, not expecting an answer.

The baby coos again and reaches a small hand up to her pointed ear.

"You wish to find your kin?"

The baby smiles and reaches out for another berry.

"Alright. We will go find your kin."

A few more hours pass and night has fallen. The woman is running through the forest, terrified as orcs chase her. Her child is silent, frightened as well, but seems to know the importance of being quiet. The woman looks behind her, black hair flying around her face as she looks behind her.

"Oh no…" She breathes and quickens her run.

After only ten minutes of running she reaches a river and comes to a halt.

"No…I can't cross."

Her legs are shaking from her hard run and her child is gazing up at her worriedly.

"Don't worry Rose." The woman says before falling to the ground as she falls unconscious.

The baby whimpers loudly but doesn't cry. She falls completely silent as she hears something that doesn't sound like orcs. She attempts to look around but is unable too so she starts crying, trusting whatever she hears. A few moments pass before a white horse walks up. The rider dismounts and comes over beside them. The baby stops crying and looks up as the rider gently turns her mother over to look at them.

"A mother and her baby? An elvish baby at that?"

She hears the beautiful language of her kin and squeals loudly. She looks up to see a beautiful dark haired elven maiden helping her and her mother on the white horses back before riding off. The baby looks around them curiously as they enter a beautiful realm. As the horse walks, the maiden speaks to her in the elvish language. As they head to a building, the baby starts crying; her hunger returning after her fear has been abolished. The maiden tries to soothe her, talking gently to her.

"Arwen, what's going on?"

"I found this woman and her child on the outskirts of the city. The woman was unconscious but her child was not." The maiden answers, rocking the crying baby.

A few hours pass and the baby has been fed and is gazing at the maiden curiously. The maiden smiles and picks her up.

"Would you like to visit your mother?" She asks laughing.

The child coos in answer and she gets taken to where her mother is. The woman hugs her child tightly before looking up to the two elves.

"Thank you, Lord Elrond, for letting us stay."

Elrond nods, smiling. A few months pass with the mother and child living happily in Rivendell. But something is wrong. The child's mother has steadily gotten ill and only getting worse. The child has grown up very fast and is already walking. She's determined to talk and has already started saying small phrases. She has noticed how weak her mother has gotten and is worried.

"Naneth (Mother)…okay?" She asks her one-day almost a year later.

The woman smiles weakly at her daughter and picks her up, holding her.

"Yes. But I must leave for a time."

The child gasps and latches on tightly to her mother.

"Why?"

"I will be back." The mother assures, knowing she's lying.

The child nods and nuzzles her mother's neck.

"Rose…don't be sad or afraid. Lord Elrond and his daughter will take good care of you. They accept you as you are, unlike the humans."

The child nods again and leans back, gazing at her mother through sad green eyes.

"Naneth…"

The woman smiles and hugs the child.

"Do not worry, Rose. Just remember I will always love you and try to find your father."

"Who…adar (father)?" Rose asks, still in elvish, that being the only language she knows, but her mother has learned as well and understands her.

"He is Princes Legolas of Mirkwood. A very handsome elf and he is who you look so much like."

The woman sits down on the bed in the room they are in and smiles as she sits her daughter on her knee.

"How…meet?"

"I was out on a journey and ran into some orcs. I couldn't defend myself well and he came to help me. One thing led to another and than I had you. A very beautiful elven crossbreed that I am proud to call my own."

Rose smiles and hugs her mother tightly. The woman smiles and hugs her back. Only a few days later, Rose's mother dies and Rose takes quickly to Elrond and Arwen. The elven lord starts teaching her about the elven arts of warrior hood and the healing arts while Arwen teaches her elvish songs. The year's pass and Rose grows fast and learns quickly. When she's five-years-old, she's sitting on a balcony railing, humming an elvish tune. Her shoulder length blonde hair is blowing in the wind and she's smiling happily. She turns around, smiling as Arwen steps up from the doorway.

"Are you having fun?" The maiden asks.

Rose nods.

"Yes. I love this tune."

"I would ask you to sing it, but we have company and my father has requested our presence."

Rose nods and turns fully, jumping off the railing. She walks back inside the room with Arwen. Arwen walks out of the room while Rose changes her green dress to a formal white dress and brushes her hair. She walks out of the room and walks down the hallway with Arwen.

"Who's the guest?" Rose asks.

"You'll see." Arwen answers.

Rose frowns and both walk into the main room of the palace.

"Ada (Father)." Arwen says, smiling.

Rose walks out shyly from behind Arwen and bows slightly.

"Lord Elrond." She says.

Elrond smiles at the young elf and looks to the blonde haired elf beside him. Rose stands up and gazes at them. She had forgotten who her father was and really wanted to find him, but didn't know how to go about doing it.

"Rose, I would like you to meet Legolas."

Rose bows to the elf, not yet knowing how to show respect in the elvish way.

"Saesa omentien lle (Pleasure meeting you)" She says in elvish, standing up.

The elf nods, still looking somewhat shocked.

"Have I done something wrong?" Rose asks confused.

Legolas shakes his head and smiles.

"No. I'm just pleased to meet you as well."

Rose nods and tilts her head. In her young mind, the elf looked kind of cute, but far to old for her. The day passes with Rose, Legolas, and Elrond talking and getting to know one another (Such as the case with Rose and Legolas). As night falls, Rose starts leaning against Legolas. The elf looks surprised but when he finds she's asleep, he smiles.

"Her mother told her who her was but judging by this, she's forgotten." Elrond tells Legolas.

The elf nods. He had a feeling who she was but hadn't said anything about it. In years to come, both would forget having ever met in Rivendell and Rose would change so much she's barely recognizable from her younger years. Legolas gently picks Rose up and takes her to her room, Arwen leading the way. He goes into her room and lays her down, covering her up. He gently kisses her forehead and turns to leave. However he catches site of the dagger she got from Elrond a year ago. He smiles, seeing the ruby rose before walking out of the room. Only about an hour after he leaves, Rose stirs in her sleep, sensing another presence. A dark haired human comes forward and gazes at the small elf lying in the bed.

"So, she's the one?" He asks quietly, though with a slight sneer in his voice.

He picks the elf up, grabs her dagger, and vanishes. He reappears in a room in a totally different place. Rose stirs and frowns, sensing an evil presence. The human lays Rose down on a bed and places her dagger beside her, than walks out. It only takes a few minutes for Rose to wake up. When she opens her eyes, she gasps and sits up, knowing she's no longer in Rivendell. She looks around, grabs her dagger, and gets out of the bed. She sees a change of clothes her size and despite being afraid, changes from the white dress into a green tunic and green leggings. She has a cloak as well and puts it on, or tries to. While she's trying to fasten it, the door to her room opens and the human who took her walks in. Rose doesn't notice right away, still trying to fasten her cloak. The human walks over and gets down in front of her, fasting the cloak for her. She looks up in surprise than steps back from the human.

"I'm not here to hurt you." He says in the common tongue.

She tilts her head slightly.

"Where is grandfather? Where is Lord Elrond?" She questions in elvish, scared again.

The human tilts his head, not understanding before standing up and walking to the door.

"Follow me." He says before walking out.

Rose ties her dagger around her waist before walking off after him. She follows a ways behind him and gets led to a library. The human stops at the doorway and gestures for her to go in. She does and looks around.

"Welcome to my home." A voice speaks.

She turns, seeing a white haired human walk up.

"Where am I?" She asks, stepping back.

She didn't trust these humans and wanted to go home.

"Do not freight. You are safe."

The human walks forward and places a finger to Rose's forehead. Rose whimpers loudly before falling silent, her memory of Rivendell and everything that happened there being blocked. For a week, Rose stays with the humans, being trained to fight. After a week, she runs away, wanting to go home, wherever that was. She travels night and day, eager to get away from Isengard and finally does, losing herself rapidly across the plains of Middle-Earth. She soon learns she has no clue where to go. She has no idea of any family and doesn't know the landscape at all. So she travels, getting her nourishment from the berries she was fond of eating as a baby and getting water from streams. A few months pass and Rose has survived on her own. As the sun sets on another day, Rose frowns as the scent of rain enters the air. She pulls up the hood of her cloak and walks on, hunger eating at her body. She had found nothing to eat, or drink for the past two days and it was quickly eating her strength. As nightfalls fully, it begins to rain and as the temperature drops, Rose finds herself growing cold and feeling like she's falling ill. Though more elf than human, she had the misfortune of being able to fall ill and feel the elements, just as humans did. Sometimes, when things got too much, she found herself envying the full blooded elves who couldn't get sick, too hot, or too cold but the feeling never lasts long. She was proud to be what she was, and despite the abuse she'll receive in her later years, she will always be proud. She keeps walking and finds a human town. She ignores the fact that these humans might not like elves and enters the town where meets Strider, a very kind human who took care of her during the night. He was incredibly patient with her when she was answering his questions, her trying to answer in the common tongue so she could learn and use it more. When it came to what happened to her, her only answer was she ran away from her kidnappers, which she had found out where her blood uncle and a supposed friend of his, and would, or could not, clarify. He's still patient with her and doesn't push the questions. When she goes to sleep, she finds him watching over her. When morning comes, she wakes up to find him asleep in a chair. She smiles and gets out of the bed; changing back into the outfit she's had since Isengard. She walks over to Strider and smiles gently. She gently cups his cheek as a farewell gesture than grabs her dagger, turns, and runs out of the inn, heading back into the wilderness. About a year and a half passes before she meets Frodo and the other hobbits. She had gotten hopelessly lost and had stumbled into the Shire by accident. Nobody challenged her so she kept wandering until she came to the field of food when she fell asleep and got woken up by Merry and Pippin. She stayed with them for a few weeks and celebrates Bilbo's birthday with the other hobbits, feeling welcomed. At one point, she was sitting next to Sam, him telling her more about the hobbits she had come quickly to appreciate and respect when Frodo comes over. Rose watches both of them as the conversation shifts and they begin to watch some hobbits dance. Rose notices Sam become shy when Frodo mentions a female hobbit by the name of Rosie and watches as Frodo grabs Sam and pushes him into the dancing hobbits. Both hobbit and elf laugh as he gets swept away in the dance by the female hobbit. After a few minutes, Frodo turns to Rose, smiling and the elf finds herself growing shy.

"Are you enjoying yourself, Rose?"

"Yes. It's a fun party and I'm glad your uncle said I could come."

Frodo smiles happily and Rose returns it.

"Unfortunately, tonight, I think I should leave, instead of waiting until tomorrow."

"But why?"

"I have to go back home and find any remaining family."

Frodo nods in understanding and both look up as cheers ring through the crowd. The two smile as they see Bilbo walk to the front and many cries for Bilbo to do his speech go up. However, as Bilbo tells his speech, Rose suddenly gets a strange feeling that something is very wrong. She looks around, suddenly very scared and gently tugs on the sleeve of Frodo's shirt.

"Frodo, I think I should leave. Something is very wrong."

The girl looks up to Frodo before looking to where Bilbo is standing. His hands are behind his back and Rose, along with many hobbits, gasp as he suddenly vanishes.

"Frodo! Please! I want to leave!" Rose says, fear in her voice.

Frodo turns to her and gently grabs her hands to calm her down.

"Alright, just calm down. We'll lead you out of the Shire."

Rose nods thankfully and puts some food in her backpack that she had carried with her to the party. After a few minutes her, Sam, and Frodo start walking hurriedly away from the party. They don't lead Rose the whole way, but assure her if she keeps going that way, she'll be out in about two or three days time. She nods, says her thanks, turns, and runs off, fear spurring her on. She travels nonstop for three days, exiting the Shire, and once again entering the wilderness. She finally stops and eats something before lying down and going to sleep, exhausted. Her fear from Bilbo's party had not left her and she was afraid something serious had happened to her hobbit friends. The night passes uneventfully and Rose sleeps on, a lonely elven crossbreed lost in the wilderness with no recollection of family or home. She wakes up midday the next day as a screech echoes in the air. She sits up, looking scared. She gathers her things and runs off. She travels on, unknowingly getting closer to Rivendell as she does. As night falls again, she settles down under a tree and tries to calm down. It doesn't work, especially when another screech echoes over the night sky and Rose hears footsteps. She jumps up and moves back in fear as a hooded figure walks through the trees, holding a sword up.

"No!" Rose gasps.

The figure gets closer to her and she steps back again, bumping into a tree. She was terrified. The being before her was evil, pure evil, and it caused her pain just to be near him. She didn't know who the figure was for she had never learned, or just didn't remember her teachings. Her attention is divided however when she hears hoof beats. Only a second later, she screams in pain and fear as the figure thrusts his sword into her shoulder. She screams again when he takes the blade out, feeling like ice is coursing through her veins as she collapses. Her shoulder was going numb and her elven hearing was heightened as she closes her eyes tightly against the pain that's coursing through her body. She felt herself slipping into unconsciousness and doesn't know anything that happens until she slowly wakes up only an hour later, shivering uncontrollably and feeling as cold as ice. However, she notices she's on a horse's back, being held closely by a comforting presence. She slips unconscious again, ignoring the voice that's calling her to the world of shadows. As time goes on, even unconscious, the voice gets harder to ignore and Rose starts finding herself compelled to answer it, yet resists, somehow knowing the evil involved. A few hours pass and the icy cold feeling finally leaves her body and as awareness slowly returns, she stops shivering, now warming up and falling into a deep healing sleep. As she sleeps, memories start leaking through the barrier in her mind. She slowly remembers her mother's illness as they lived in Rivendell and than remembers her death. That is all she remembers before she slowly wakes up, dizzy and disoriented. She sits up with a gasp, being in an unfamiliar place. As she sits up, a searing pain goes through her shoulder, causing her to lie back down.

"You shouldn't move." A deep musical voice says.

Rose looks up in surprise as two elves walk forward. Rose flinches as she sees them, scooting away a little. One of the two frown at her reaction.

"Do you not remember me?" The dark haired elf asks.

Rose looks up at him than shakes her head, looking away. The two elves frown and the dark haired elf gently places his hand on her forehead. The fear that was starting to build again, vanishes, and Rose finds herself smiling under the gentle touch as she falls asleep. When she's fully asleep, the dark haired elf turns to the one beside him.

"I thank you, for helping her, Haldir."

The blonde haired elf nods but says nothing. It takes two days for Rose to recover as much as she would and after that time, she again leaves Rivendell, not yet knowing much about her past. She remembered this city was her home but needed more time. Four and a half years pass and Rose is sitting in a tree, now ten-years-old. In elf years she was now thirty but that was only because she aged more swiftly. But in either world she walked in, she was considered a child and she had trained herself. She was now very good with her bow and dagger and could almost always kill an animal in one hit when she was hunting. In the time on her own, she's learned more about who she was, but in the process has forgotten most of her wilderness adventures. She is currently sitting in a tree, looking closely over her dagger. She had gotten in a fight with some orcs recently and had gotten her dagger stolen and used against her. She still carried the mark on her upper leg and right hand from where she got stabbed. When she had finally got it back, she had stabbed the orc who had a hold of it straight through his armor and had killed him when she got his black heart. Now she was making sure the blade hadn't gotten dull or chipped any. She sighs softly when she finds its fine and reseathes it. She stands up on the branch she was sitting on and flips her blonde braid over her shoulder. Her hair had gone from shoulder-length to waist length and she always wore it in a braid. She looks out over the horizon, frowning slightly. She heard something, but it was so faint she couldn't pick it up well. She listens and finally jumps from tree to tree, trying to follow it. When it stops, so does she, just listening to the air. After a few minutes, she starts jumping again and finally reaches what looks like a battle site. It looked very recent and she thinks that's what she heard are the sounds of the fight echoing over the land. She looks over the battlefield, not knowing what's going to happen in the next few minutes.


End file.
